Yamadeepdaan

According to legends, King Hima had a son after many years of marriage. Unfortunately upon his birth, the astrologers predicted that he was doomed to die of a snake bite on the fourth day of his marriage.

So on the fourth day of his marriage, his wife asked him not to sleep the whole night. She laid gold ornaments and silver coins at the entrance of her husband’s room and sang songs the whole night to save her husband.

When Yama, the God of Death, arrived, disguised as a snake, he was blinded by the dazzle of the lights and the gold.Unable to enter the young prince’s room, Yama sat on top of the heap of gold and listened to the melodious songs. In the morning, he left the palace, leaving the prince unhurt. Thus, the young wife saved her husband’s life from Yama.

Till this day, people light lamps the whole night in reverential adoration to Yama. This is why Dhanteras is also known as Yamadeepdaan.